Vagus nerve injury symptoms after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Vagus nerve injury during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation can significantly impact quality of life and result in lingering gastrointestinal symptoms. This study was designed to define risk factors of vagus nerve injury, symptoms, prevalence, and temporal resolution.

METHODS

A total of 100 patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) were enrolled and consented to participate in the study. Patients completed a 22-item questionnaire that included questions specific to vagus nerve injury symptomatology during their baseline visit and at 1 and 3 months post-RFCA.

RESULTS

The average age of the population was 63 ± 10.6 years and 68% were male. A total of 100 patients completed their baseline questionnaire (90 patients completed the 1-month questionnaires and 85 patients completed the 3-month questionnaires). Symptoms rated as moderate were prevalent at baseline (trouble swallowing 13%, bloating 26%, feeling full 20%), and increased in all categories analyzed at 1 month and with the exception of trouble swallowing returned to the preablation percentages at 3 months (heartburn 22.4%, trouble swallowing 18.8%, bloating 16.5%, nausea 8.2%, vomiting 3.5%, constipation 18.8%, diarrhea 16.4%, feeling full 15.3%). Severe rated symptoms of trouble swallowing (2-5.5%), bloating (5-7.6%), and early satiety (5-9.8%) increased at 1 month and bloating and early satiety percentages remained approximately two times higher at 3 months (trouble swallowing 2.4%, bloating 8.2%, early satiety 7.1%).

CONCLUSION

The majority of symptoms were resolved by 3 months, although those patients who rate bloating and early satiety at a severe rating may have persistent symptoms.

Vitamin D supplementation protects against reductions in plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D induced by open-heart surgery: Assess-d trial

Low vitamin D (serum or plasma 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)) is a global pandemic and associates with a greater prevalence in all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Open‐heart surgery is a form of acute stress that decreases circulating 25(OH)D concentrations and exacerbates the preponderance of low vitamin D in a patient population already characterized by low levels. Although supplemental vitamin D increases 25(OH)D, it is unknown if supplemental vitamin D can overcome the decreases in circulating 25(OH)D induced by open‐heart surgery. We sought to identify if supplemental vitamin D protects against the acute decrease in plasma 25(OH)D propagated by open‐heart surgery during perioperative care. Participants undergoing open‐heart surgery were randomly assigned (double‐blind) to one of two groups: (a) vitamin D (n = 75; cholecalciferol, 50,000 IU/dose) or (b) placebo (n = 75). Participants received supplements on three separate occasions: orally the evening before surgery and either orally or per nasogastric tube on postoperative days 1 and 2. Plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were measured at baseline (the day before surgery and before the first supplement bolus), after surgery on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, and 4, at hospital discharge (5–8 days after surgery), and at an elective outpatient follow‐up visit at 6 months. Supplemental vitamin D abolished the acute decrease in 25(OH)D induced by open‐heart surgery during postoperative care. Moreover, plasma 25(OH)D gradually increased from baseline to day 3 and remained significantly increased thereafter but plateaued to discharge with supplemental vitamin D. We conclude that perioperative vitamin D supplementation protects against the immediate decrease in plasma 25(OH)D induced by open‐heart surgery.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02460211.